In recent years a surprising number of insights and results in noncommutative algebra have been obtained by using the global techniques of projective algebraic geometry. Many of the most striking results arise by mimicking the commutative approach: classify curves, then surfaces, and we will use this approach here. As we will discuss, the noncommutative analogues of (commutative) curves are well understood while the study of noncommutative surfaces is on-going. In the study of these objects a number of intriguing examples and significant techniques have been developed that are very useful elsewhere.